Called To Freedom Series

Christian freedom takes believers to an even higher level than simply opposing the flesh. Positively, Christ frees His followers through love to serve one another. His freedom is the paradoxical freedom of loving subservience. Christians are to ‘serve one another’ continually—hence ‘serve’ (d???e?ete) is PRESENT ACTIVE IMPERATIVE, is in the present tense. (Barnes, P. (2006). A Study Commentary on Galatians (p. 240). Darlington, England; Webster, New York: Evangelical Press.)

The Greek verb douleuete translated “serve” actually refers to the service of a slave. Serving in this way gives the believer deep joy (Barton, Bruce B.: Galatians. Wheaton, Ill. : Tyndale House, 1994 (Life Application Bible Commentary), S. 174) Previously Paul asserted that they should not be slaves to legalism, but he now balances this with the command that they must be slaves to one another in love (cf. v. 6; Eph. 5:21; Phil. 2:3–4).( Utley, R. J. (1997). Paul’s First Letters: Galatians and I & II Thessalonians (Vol. Volume 11, p. 58). Marshall, TX: Bible Lessons International.) Putting it all in a formula form, we could say liberty + love = service to others, liberty - love = license (slavery to sin) (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 717). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

As Paul explained to the Romans:

Romans 6:22 [22] But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. (ESV)

Please turn to Philippians 2

This teaching forms the very heart of Christianity, but it presents a paradox. We are freed from slavery to sin to become slaves to one another. Worldly people cannot understand this—joy in slavery? They don’t realize they are enslaved either to sin or to some religious system. People enslaved to sin are not free to live righteously. Love for other believers flows outward from what God has done in each believer’s heart. The Greek word for love (agape) refers to selfless, self-giving love. Christian freedom does not leave believers wandering through life without laws, rules, restraints, or guidelines. Instead, they freely live according to God’s standards and glorify God through loving service to others (Barton, Bruce B.: Galatians. Wheaton, Ill. : Tyndale House, 1994 (Life Application Bible Commentary), S. 174).

Paul in said that we should embody this servanthood as Christ did:

Philippians 2:5-7 [5] Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, [6] who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, [7] but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. (ESV)

• When Christ incarnates Himself in believers, He endows them with the same nature of servanthood He exemplified when, as the Son of God and Son of Man, He lived on earth as the Servant of God and the Servant of man. How can this service be rendered: By showing deep affection, self-sacrifice, tenderness, genuine empathy, readiness to render assistance, yearning to promote another’s welfare, spontaneous giving and forgiving (William Hendriksen. Galatians: New Testament Commentary. Baker Publishing House2002. p. 211).